Tag Archives: Ramayana

Remembering Rapes and Rain on Vijaydashmi 2013

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Today is Vijaydashmi.

My greetings.

This Vijaydashmi has many peculiarities. First the thunderstorm two days ago. We woke up with lightning and heavy showers. For a long time we have not seen so much thunder and lightning. By luck nothing was struck by lightning. At least nothing is in news, so luck is presumed. But the rain in October is very rare.

Rain in October.

Second peculiarity is that it had rained in October last year too. Just before Vijaydashmi or Dashahra.
Vijaydashmi literally means ‘tenth day of victory’. Actually it should be and is meant to be the ‘the tenth day in the Calender when victory occurred’. Today is tenth day of month of ‘Ashwin’ in the year 2069 of Vikrami Calender. Vijaydashmi is celebrated every year on the 10th day of this month. Generally it falls on some day in October to early November. It is a day of victory over evil. Continue reading →

Mythological Eras: Satyug, Treta, Dwapar and Kalyug

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Hindu Mythological Eras: An analysis.

Hindu mythology and also the astrology divides the time period of the World, before it destroys itself (i.e. pralay), in four eras called YUG. The first is Satyug or Era of truth. The second is called Tretayug or the Era of Third. The next, third is called Dwaparyug or Era of Second. The last, fourth is Kalyug or also called Kaliyug. Thereafter it is the time for pralay which means the world shall destroy itself or it would be end of world. By some accounts, minor but huge destruction takes place at the end of each era as well. Since I intend to draw unconventional wisdom from this mythology, hence a little introduction to each era.

Satyug

This was era of truth. A commitment was to be honored with life. One could forego life but not commitment. The hero of this mythological era was King Harish Chandra. He once offered to give a hermit, whatever that hermit wanted. The hermit in turn asked his kingdom. Bound by his word of commitment, the King abandoned his Kingdom alongwith his wife and minor son. As common men they suffered all kinds of atrocities including slavery. The worst happens when Continue reading →

Live-in relationships or convenient marriage in India with its historical and legal perspective

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Manu Dharam Shstra (a.k.a. Hindu Manusmriti)

There is no denying that the ancient law governing this part of land was Manusmriti. It is believed that this Vedic Dharam Shastra is over 10,000 yers old. The documented version of this law of Manu came into existence later. Manusmriti governed all aspect of human life including marriage and carnal pleasures. At the time of Ramayana and Mahabharata, Manusmriti was the known law as it is referred therein at many places. According to Manusmriti there were following eight forms of marriages:

  1. Spontaneous Marriage: Gift of maiden spontaneously after clothing and referencing her.
  2. Daiva Marriage: Gift of a daughter to a priest as part of fee for performing the vedic rites of sacrifice.
  3. Arsha Marriage: Gift of maiden in exchange of two cattle from bridegroom.
  4. Prajapatya Marriage: Gift of maiden When gift is made while addressing both the pair “Together do your duty”
    [Present saptpada (seven steps) marriages including Anand Karaj is a derivative of above four types of marriages]
  5. Asura Marriage: Gift of maiden after receiving the wealth from bridegroom, as much as he can pay.
  6. Gandharva Marriage: Voluntary Connection between man and woman. (Present day love marriage.)
  7. Rakshasa Marriage: Forcible abduction of of maiden crying out and weeping after slaying and wounding her relatives.
  8. Pishacha Marriage: Secretly approaching the girl asleep, intoxicated or confused. It is the most sinful of all marriages and is prohibited.

Live-in relationships or convenient marriage in India Continue reading →